Baltimore Ravens: 5 players to watch at NFL Scouting Combine
By Joe Schiller
1. Calvin Ridley
The offensive theme continues all the way through this list to Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley. I and many others would argue that Ridley should be the Ravens’ top target in the first round of the NFL draft.
Alabama isn’t a pass-heavy school like we see in the Big 12. Jalen Hurts has essentially been a running back, playing the quarterback position the last two seasons. Ridley didn’t have a top quarterback talent throwing him the football and still was one of Alabama’s top receivers in all three seasons as a starter. Think about the numbers he’d put up with Mason Rudolph under center. It’d be a lot different.
Ridley has already solidified himself as a first-round lock. He’s a plug-and-play starter as a rookie and a must-have at wideout. But, there’s no guarantee Ridley falls to No. 16. Receiver-needy teams like the Bears and Cardinals, who pick before the Ravens. How Ridley performs at the combine will likely not only affect his projection but how the Ravens maneuver in the first round. If he’s a top-10 lock, maybe Ozzie Newsome pushes for a trade back or even up.
Ridley is from the school the Ravens seem to value the highest and at the position they desperately need help at the most.